ISSN 0798 1015

Vol. 38 (Nº 61) Year 2017. Page 21

Classification of the Hill Mari meteorological folk omens

Clasificación de las predicciones meteorológicas populares de Hill Mari

Irina TRUBYANOVA 1; Tatyana BELYAEVA 2; Elena YANDAKOVA 3; Marianna RYABININA 4; Irina FEDOTOVA-GRADOBAEVA 5

Received: 01/12/2017 • Approved: 20/12/2017

Content

1. Introduction

2. Method and Results

3. Conclusions

Acknowledgement

Bibliographic references

1. Introduction

Until the beginning of the century of modern technologies, people anticipated the upcoming events on the grounds of the phenomena surrounding them. Repeated signs were established, preserved and passed from generation to generation in the form of folk omens. In the Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian language, an omen is understood as a phenomenon or a case that is popularly considered to be foreknowledge of anything (Ozhegov, Shvedova, 1999, p. 594).

Mari omens have long attracted the attention of connoisseurs of the Mari literature. They were published in the first periodicals in the Mari language, in particular, in the "Mari Calendar". They were the subject of linguists’ research. A.E. Kitikov made a great effort by collecting and systematizing the Meadow Mari and the Hill Mari omens (Kitikov, 1989). The Hill Mari omens are given in the works of F.T. Gracheva (Gracheva, 2001). Superstitious component in the Mari language in comparison with the Russian and English languages is analyzed by Y.Y. Fliginskikh, S. L. Yakovleva, R. A. Kudryavtseva, K. Yu. Badina and S. S. Akeldina (Fliginskikh, 2017, pp. 50-58; Fliginskikh, Yakovleva, Kudryavtseva, Badina and Akeldina, 2016, pp. 1634-1640.).

Omens for the research were collected from different sources. These are interviews with native speakers of the Hill Mari Language from different settlements of the Gornomariyskiy district: V.Z. Vorontsova and L.A. Vorontsova from the village of Tsyganovo, G.P. Petrova from the village of Sarapayevo, L. I. Kapitonova and M.G. Kapitonova from the village of Vilovatovo, S.Kh. Opleva from the village of Pyatilipovka, E.Z.Opleva and I.V. Trubyanova from the village of Pernyangashi; omens collections compiled by A.E. Kitikov (Kitikov, 1989) and F.T. Gracheva (Gracheva, 2001).

The Hill Mai meteorological omens make a large group. Since the main activity of the Hill Mari people was agriculture, cattle and poultry breeding, beekeeping, gathering, and fishing, it becomes obvious that the weather conditions had a great impact on the yield and, as a consequence, on the prosperity of the family, therefore meteorological omens were very important.

Currently, people use the weather forecast in order to learn about the upcoming weather. However, even the forecasts of meteorological services are not always true, and people still appeal to folk omens.

The analysis of meteorological omens demanded traditional methods and techniques of collecting and systematizing folklore material. The classification of omens was conducted by using the descriptive, semantic, typological and counting methods.

During the analysis of weather phenomena, which are predicted, the following groups of omens were distinguished: 1) precipitation omens, 2) cold weather omens, 3) warm weather omens, 4) flood omens, 5) common weather omens. The percentage of different groups of meteorological omens indicates the primary importance of particular natural phenomena mainly for the agricultural activities of the Hill Mari people (Diagram 1).

 Omens about the upcoming precipitation make up more than half of all meteorological omens (51%), most of which predict rain (Diagram 2). Rain is almost the main natural factor affecting yields at relatively constant seasonal favorable climatic temperature regimes in the territory of living of the Hill Mari people.

The signs of the coming rain are changes in the sky itself. They include observations of the shape and color of the clouds, the rays of the sun: «Вадеш кечӹ шӹнцмӹ годым, ялвлӓм колта гӹнь, вес кечеш юр толеш». ‘If the sun radiates rays during the sunset, it will rain next day’ (Opleva, S.Kh.). «Кечӹ пиш когон пӹц розовый гӹнь, юр лин кердеш». ‘If the sun is bright, dark pink - it can rain’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 101). «Пӹл шӹмӓлӓнӓ - юр лиэш». ‘If the clouds are rosy, it may rain’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 106). «Кечӹ пичӓнгӹн гӹнь, лывыргы лиэш». ‘If the sun is circled, the weather will be wet’ (Gracheva, 2001, p. 226).

Within the group of rain omens there is a subdivision by the signs based on observations of the behavior of animals, birds, insects, plants, which indicate the occupation of the Hill Mari people by agriculture, poultry farming, cattle breeding, forestry, in general, close connection with nature.

There was a plot of land or a vegetable garden at any Hill Mari household, and the observations of its vegetation were also transformed into omens: «Кавштавичштӹ сар пеледӹш пӹзӹргӓ гӹнь, юр толеш». ‘If the yellow flowers are closed in the vegetable garden, it will rain’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 112). «Тыл пеледӹшӹштӹ лӹпӹвлӓ шукы ылыт гӹньӹ, юр лишӓшлык». ‘If there are a lot of butterflies on the cuckooflower, it will rain’ (Kitikov, 2001, p. 113). «Ош табак юран игечӹлӓн пеледӹш цӓшкавлӓжӹм пачын шӹндӓ». ‘Before the rain fragrant tobacco buds are open’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 113).

Deductions of the approaching weather phenomena are based on the behavior of domestic animals, small rodents and insects: «Цама онгырешнен кыдалыштеш гӹнь, юр толеш». ‘If the colt runs neighing, it will rain soon’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 115). «Аяр выр-выр кӱш чонгештӓ гӹнь, аяран лиэш, ӱлӹкӹ - юр толеш». ‘If the ladybird flies upwards – the weather will be bright, if it flies down – it will rain’ (Gracheva, 2001, p. 225). «Йӹлвлӓ землӓм ражтен шӹндӓт гӹнь, юр толеш». ‘If earthworms make holes in the earth, it will rain’ (Opleva, E.Z.) The omens, in which a haystack is mentioned, confirm that the Hill Mari were engaged in the preparation of hay and kept cattle: «Каля пӹжӓшӹм капна покшалан опта гӹнь, шӹжӹ юран лиэш». ‘If the mouse makes a nest in the middle of the haystack, the autumn will be rainy’ (Gracheva, 2001, p. 216). Mentioning of a shard beetle also proves that the Hill Mari kept cattle: ‘If shard beetles do not fly In the evening, it will rain soon’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 130).

The Hill Mari always kept a cat and a dog in the house. The behavior of these domestic animals also predicted the upcoming events, in particular, rain: «Пи пӓрдӓлеш гӹнь, телым - поран, кӓнгӹжӹм юр лиэш». ‘If the dog is wallowing on the ground, there will be snowstorm in winter, and rain - in summer’ (Trubyanova, I.V.). «Коти ӓли пи шудым качкыт гӹнь, юр толеш».  ‘If a cat or a dog eats grass, it will rain’ (Vorontsova V.Z.).

Besides agriculture, the Hill Mari were engaged in fishing, which is proved by a number of careful observations of ponds’ and rivers’ surface, inhabitants and plants, recorded in the form of omens: «Пигол тыр веремӓн вӹд пындашеш йымырген вазеш». If the loach hides in the mud, the weather will be clear’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 167). «Пренӓвлӓ йӓрӹштӹ вуйым лыктын шӹндӓт – юр лиэш». ‘If the twigs put out their ends in the lake, it will rain’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 130). «Юр толмы анзыц шӱнгӓвлӓ тӓрвӓнӓт, ик сир гӹц вес сирӹш каштыт». ‘Before the rain, the hummocks float from one side to the other’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 127).

Due to keenness of observation of the Hill Mari fishermen, there were omens about different behavior of leeches before certain types of precipitation or other weather phenomena: «Юр анзыц вӹдпыйивлӓ вӹлнӹ киӓт ӓль, йӹгӹре-йӹгӹре пеле якте вӹд гӹц лактӹн, изи ямдарла кечӓлтӹт».  ‘Before the rain, leeches lie on the surface of the water or are exposed half as flasks’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 134). «Хӹдӹртӹш лимешкӹ луаткок-луатнӹл цӓш анзыц вӹдпыйивлӓ тыргыжланаш тӹнгӓлӹт, какляргылыт, вӹд гӹц лӓктӹт». ‘Half a day before the storm, leeches begin to worry, trying to wriggle out of the water’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 144).

Omens make it possible to judge how and in what way the food was cooked in the old days, while people's thoughts were again focused on the rain: «Пад пындаш юр анзыц ӹнгеш». ‘The bottom of the boiler will light up while cooking before the rain’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 128). «Камака олтымы годым трубаштышы сыцеш тыл инжеш гӹнь, начка лиэш». ‘If the fire of the furnace burns in a pipe on soot, the weather will be wet’ (Gracheva, 2001, p. 216).

Omens containing signs of trees and plants, which predict rain, tell us that the Hill Mari owned some knowledge of the forest: «Кукшы лымегож аярлан виӓнӓ, юрлан лывырга». ‘A dry juniper straightens to a bright weather, and becomes more flexible to a rainy weather’. (Kitikov, 1989, p. 161). «Кукшы лымегож ваштыр юр толмы анзыц лывырга». ‘A branch of dry juniper becomes flexible before the rain’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 111).

The beginning of rain is predicted by the physical condition of a human: «Кечӹвӓлӹн монгарлан нелӹ - юр толеш». ‘If the man’s bones ache in the afternoon, it will rain’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 126). «Пӹлӹш легештӓ – юрлан». ‘If an ear scratches, it will rain’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 126). «Сотыгечӹн ом шоэш – юр толеш». ‘If a person feels sleepy, it will rain’ (Gracheva, 2001, p. 225).

Folk omens about natural phenomena can be based on the peculiarities of passage of the very natural phenomena, as in the example with rain: «Ирокшы юр кечӹвӓлеш цӓрнӓ; кечӹвӓлӹн пыра гӹнь, суткаш шокта; вадеш толеш – амалаш кодеш». ‘The morning rain will finish for dinner, the midday rain will last for 24 hours, the evening rain will pour until the morning (will stay for the night)’ (Vorontsova, V.Z.). «Обед годым пырышы юр кужын юреш». ‘The rain, which has begun at around lunch, will last a long time’. (Gracheva, 2001, p. 219). «Ирокок шокшы шалга гӹнь, хӹдӹртӹшӓн юрым вычы». ‘If it has been hot since morning, wait for a thunderstorm rain’ (Petrova G.P.).

The next group with fewer number of folk omens is compiled of cold weather omens. They may be divided into two groups, one of which is based on observations of natural phenomena, animals and plants, the other on the behavior of technical devices when the cold approaches. Accordingly, it can be argued that the omens from the first group have deeper roots, came from the antiquity, the second group is the most modern, based on the innovations of the 20th century.

The folk omens, predicting cold weather by the character of natural phenomena and animals’ behavior, include the following examples: «Шӹжӹм пӹзӹлмӹ шукы гӹнь, тел ўштӹ лиэш». ‘If there is a lot of rowan berries in autumn, the winter will be cold’ (Opleva, S.Kh.). «Кеккомбы кужы стрелка дон чонгештат гӹнь, ўштӹ лиэш». ‘If the wild geese fly in a long wedge, the weather will be cold’ (Vorontsova V. Z.). «Шӹнгӹртӹш игӹм айырымешкӹ ӱштӹ ак тол, айырымыкы, ик ӱштӹ толеш». ‘Untill the starling does not separate the chick, there will be no frost, as soon as it separates, it will be frosty once’ (Gracheva, 2001, p. 227). «Коти амалым годым нержӹм лапа дон мӱдӓ гӹнь, ўштӹ лиэш». ‘If a cat covers the nose with its paw while sleeping, it will be cold’ (Vorontsova V.Z.) «Комбы пелъяла шалга, ўштӹ толеш». ‘If the goose stands on one leg, it will be cold’ (Trubyanova I.V.). «Пи мындырала пӹтӹрнӓлт вазын гӹнь, ӱкшӹктӓ». ‘If a dog curled up, it would be cold’ (Petrova G.P.). «Коти камакаш куза гӹнь - ўштӹ лиэш». ‘If a cat has climbed onto the stove, it will be cold’ (Kapitonova, L.I.). «Тум эхель шукы шачеш гӹнь, тел ӱштӹ лиэш».  ‘If there are a lot of acorns this year, the winter will be cold’ (Gracheva, 2001, p. 227). «Кужынер сотышкы лӓктеш гӹнь – ӱкшӹктӓ». ‘If the mosquito flies out into the light, it will be cold’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 56). «Ӓнгӹр пачылтмы (Йыл кемӹ) годым ӱкшӹктӓ». ‘When the ice in the rivers breaks up (the Volga starts moving), it gets colder’ (Gracheva, 2001, p. 225). «Телӹм труба гӹц шӹкш тӧр куза гӹнь, ўштӹ лиэш». ‘If the smoke rises straight from the pipe in winter, it will be cold’ (Opleva S.Kh.)

The group of folk omens, based on the descriptions of changes associated with technical devices, consists of the following examples: «Свет проводашты шукы кек шӹнзӓ гӹнь, ўштӹ толеш”. ‘If there are a lot of birds sitting on the electric line, it will be cold’ (Vorontsova V.Z.). «Телефон мӓнгӹ мыра – ӱштеш».  ‘If the telephone pole buzzes, there will be frost’ (Kapitonova M. G.) «Пароход юк мӹндӹркӹ шакта гӹнь, ӱкшӹктӓ». ‘If the horns of steamers are heard far away, it will be cold’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 145).

As for the ratio of omens, bases on changes in natural phenomena and technical devices, the first group is larger than the second.

All the folk omens, which predict warming, being collected during the research, are based on descriptions of natural phenomena: «Тыгыды шӹнгӓ cӹнзӓш мушным шыра – вес кечеш шокшы лиэш». ‘If the midge flies into eyes, it will get warmer next day’ (Opleva, S. KH.). «Шӹжӹм ӓнгӹр ирӹ кӹлмӓ гӹнь, шошым ирӹ толеш». ‘If the river is covered with ice early in autumn, spring will come early’ (Petrova, G. P.). «Шошым мўкш ирӹ чонгештӹлӓш тӹнгӓлеш гӹнь, шошым шокшы лиэш». ‘If the bees begin to fly early, spring will come early’ (Petrova G. P.). «Комбы лымышты нӱштӹлеш гӹнь, шокшемдӓ». ‘If a goose bathes in the snow, it will get warmer’ (Petrova G. P.).

The group of omens that predict flooding is not numerous – there are 4 omens (9%). Signs that foreshadow the upcoming of flood are the characteristic behavior of birds, the features of natural phenomena, and the weather on religious holidays: «Кек комбы кӱшӹц чонгештӓ - шошым вӹд кого лиэш». ‘If wild geese fly high, there will be a big flood in spring’ (Kapitonova M.G.). Вӹрлӓнгӹ Йылышты им луаткок гӓнӓ пачшы дон лыпшалеш гӹнь, Йыл тӓрвӓнӓ». ‘If the wagtail strikes the ice on the Volga twelve times, it will soon break down’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 82). «Шошым Йылышты и ара кыдын кӱкшӹцӓш лиэш, тӹдӹн кӱкшӹц полой вӹд лиэш». ‘The level at which there is an ice crust on the Volga, the flood will be at the same level’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 82). «Кӹшкӹ пырым кечӹн юр юреш – полой вӹд кого лиэш».  ‘If it rains on the Holy Cross day, there will be a heavy flood in spring’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 82).

General weather forecasting omen group includes omens, predicting a clear, quiet weather, peculiar for a separate day, weather changes or natural phenomena that are met in omens in single cases. Signs of this group of omens are the features of atmospheric phenomena (color and form of clouds), the behavior of animals (fish, leeches) and plants, the weather according to the lunar calendar, superstitions, and weather conditions on religious holidays: «Кечӹ шӹцмӹ доны намашангеш гӹнь, аяра». ‘If the clouds are fleecy at sunset, the weather will be bright’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 156). «Яжо кечӹлӓн колвлӓ сир тӹрӹшкӹ толыт». ‘If the fish comes to the bank, the weather will be clear’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 167). «Яжо игечӹ анзыц вӹдпыйивлӓ киӓт ӓль ладнан мадыт». ‘Before clear days, leeches lie at the bottom or calmly play’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 168). There is only one omen predicting wind, which was also referred to the common weather omens group: «Кого мардеж анзыц вӹдпыйивлӓ пиш пӹсӹн сӓрнӹлӹт». ‘If the wind will be strong, leeches swim swiftly’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 155).

The Hill Mari people also predict rain and common weather conditions according to the lunar calendar: «У тӹлзӹ юреш шачеш гӹнь, тӹлзӹ пӹтӹмешкӹ юран игечӹ лиэш». ‘If the rain falls on the new moon, it will rain until the end of the month’ (Gracheva, 2001, p. 222). «Тӹлзӹ махань игечӹн шачеш, техень игечӹ тӹлзӹ пӹтӹмеш лиэш». ‘The weather on the new moon will last the whole month’ (Vorontsova V. Z.).

Omens of precipitations and common weather conditions are characterized by descriptions of religious holidays. The peculiarity of these omens is a long-term prediction: «Когечы анзыц вӹргечӹн тыр - кӓнгӹж тыр лиэш». ‘If the weather is calm on Wednesday before the Easter, the summer will be calm’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 100). «Кӹшкӹ пырым кечӹн юр юреш – полой вӹд кого лиэш». ‘If it rains on the Holy Cross day (the Day of snake’s entrance), the flood will be heavy’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 82). «Ӱӓрня кечӹн лым лиэш гӹнь, шуды годым начкы лиэш». ‘If it snows on the Shrovetide, it will be wet in the period of making hay’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 100). «Ильин кечӹн юр лиэш гӹнь, кӓнгӹж гач начкы лиэш». ‘If it rains on the Ilia the Prophet's Day, all the remaining summer will be wet’ (Kitikov, p. 98). «Похро гӹц перви мазар ӓрня лым кайын, тӹнӓр ӓрня вара вазеш». ‘For how many days before the Protection of the Holy Virgin Day snow appears, in as many weeks it falls’ (Kitikov, 1989, p. 44).

In the classification of the Hill Mari meteorological folk omens, the conditions and results of the predicted phenomena were taken into account. According to the results of the phenomena, five groups of omens were distinguished, which predict precipitation, cold weather, warming, flood, and common weather cases. On the grounds of analysis of the forthcoming phenomena, there were formed subgroups of omens. Among the most common omens are: 1) the characteristics of atmospheric phenomena, 2) the behavior of representatives of the animal world and plants, 3) weather conditions during religious holidays, 4) the physical condition of a man, 5) phenomena associated with household objects and technical devices. By the objects and phenomena mentioned in the omens, it is possible to establish the habitual way of life of people, since the omens reflect the most constant events in the life of people. The study confirms that the main activities of the Hill Mari people were and still are agriculture, cattle and poultry breeding, fishing, beekeeping, forestry. The Hill Mari people also use technical progress to predict meteorological phenomena.

The percentage ratio of all groups of meteorological omens allows us to consider the most numerous weather phenomena mentioned in the omens to be the most important for the life and agricultural activity of the Hill Mari people. These are rain and cold weather.

At present, the way of life of the Hill Mari people has undoubtedly changed, it has become more developed, integrated with the world community due to technological progress, the Internet, multimedia technologies and modern methods of farming. However, for the most part, especially among the rural population, interest and references to meteorological omens are still demanded.

The reported study was funded by RFBR and Government of the Mari El according to the research project № 17-14-12602/17

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Fliginskikh, E. E., Yakovleva, S. L., Kudryavtseva, R. A., Badina, K. Yu. and Akeldina, S. S. (2016). Linguistic Analysis of Fauna Images in the Ritual Superstitions of the English, Russian and Mari Languages. The Social Sciences (Pakistan), 11 (8).

1. Mari State University, Yoshkar-Ola, Russian Federation; E-mail: opleva@mail.ru

2. Mari State University, Yoshkar-Ola, Russian Federation; E-mail: beljaeva1978@rambler.ru

3. Mari State University, Yoshkar-Ola, Russian Federation; E-mail: jandar78@mail.ru

4. Mari State University, Yoshkar-Ola, Russian Federation; E-mail: opleva@mail.ru

5. Mari State University, Yoshkar-Ola, Russian Federation; E-mail: opleva@mail.ru